Unfortunately, soon after its completion, Maddox became embroiled in a ruinous law suit which resulted in the house’s being seized by the sheriff and sold to John Coleman. Subsequent owners have been F. W. Kirchoff, Alfred Moulton, S. P. Walmsley, C. D. Cecil, Walter S. Simpson, and now Mrs. Brennan.
As envisioned by Barnett and brought to fruition by Gotthiel and Eichelberger, the house emerged as one recognized for its exceptionally fine proportions. A strict scale was adhered to so that all rooms, both upstairs and down, are 22 feet square with the exception of the entrance hall which measures 11 by 44 and the gold ballroom which is 22 by 44 feet.
Viewed from the street the front elevation of broad front galleries with superimposed Ionic and Corinthian columns impresses even the casual observer. A more practiced eye will detect refinements of scale and detail which make it notable.
In 1954, soon after the Simpsons acquired the property and began restoration, a major fire destroyed a large part of the interior. Heartsore but undaunted by the monumental task they now faced, the Simpsons were determined that the house should be restored as closely as possible to its original state. Months went into the search for proper materials and workmen who could execute in the style of a past century. Today this beautiful home, with recent restoration by Mrs. Brennan, is again the object of much admiration.
In the entrance hall the molded cornices around the ceiling are prized “double transparency” style. The rosette was made directly upon the ceiling at the time of the restoration. Others in the house were molded separately and then applied. Following the popular neo-classic trend, the doorframes were made in the “keyhole design”, enhanced by handmade hinges of silver over solid brass.
Many different woods are used to advantage in the house. Hall floors are of pine, but cypress is the flooring for living and dining rooms. Diagonally laid oak boards were placed over the old pine in the ballroom to give a better surface for dancing. The magnificent stairway combines cypress treads with walnut spindles topped with a mahogany rail. Especially beautiful in the living room are the sliding doors made of burl walnut. They complement the handcarved mantel, also of burl walnut, with brass trim and Italian tile hearth.
In the dining room the fire blistered off layers of paint on the mantel tiles and revealed beneath the original design of the tiles. This Louisiana bayou scene is unique.
Most elegant room in the house is the gold ballroom, looking today much as it did in 1870, when the Moulton family commissioned a Viennese artist to decorate it. At that time the ceiling of the coved area was done in tapestry. Since the fire, it has been hand painted in colors as close as possible to the original. The birds are done on canvas, and the field paper is a companion to that on the walls. In this room is a pair of mantels, dark Italian marble rimmed with silver plated brass, with hearths of Italian tiles. When the fireplaces are in use, fascinating designs embossed on the iron firebacks glow and stand out in relief. At the far end of this spacious chamber is a small room, now converted into a bar, which was once the room where musicians sat while furnishing music for soirées.
Native Louisiana birds in swamp setting are fireplace decorations in Brennan house. Fire revealed presence of unique painted files.